Union Leaders Say New Congress Must Follow Through on Jobs, Economy Promises
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Voters gave Republicans control of the U.S. House of Representatives following Tuesday’s election, says AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, because they say “much more must be done to put America back to work.”
In a Huffington Post column, McEntee writes that with a majority in the House, Republicans must
demonstrate that their priority is working families, rather than corporate interests and the very rich. Voters have not embraced the radical plans of Republican leaders in the Congress to cut taxes for millionaires, privatize Social Security and slash Medicare funding.
Check out our election night surveys here.
He added that voters also rejected radical right-wing and tea party candidates like Sharron Angle in Nevada, Ken Buck in Colorado, Joe Miller in Alaska and Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, all of whom
argued that government should do nothing to improve the economy or protect working families during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Voters support efforts to build an economic recovery that works for everyone.
Here’s what other union leaders are saying.
AFT President Randi Weingarten says, “The problems that confronted the country before the election are the same problems we are facing after the election.”
Striking Shaw’s Workers Pick Up Support
Striking workers at the Shaw’s supermarket warehouse in Methuen, Mass., are gaining the support of political, community and religious leaders and union members across New England. The 310 workers, members of Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 791, walked out March 7 after Shaw’s management demanded workers take on the full burden of paying increased costs for health care.
On April 1, Shaw’s cut off health care for workers and families even though many of them have serious medical conditions including advanced pregnancy.
Despite calls from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) and nine other congressional leaders and respected voices in the religious community, Shaw’s and its parent, Supervalu, refuse to reinstate the workers’ health benefits. Local 791 represents Shaw’s workers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine.
Massachusetts Will Appoint Interim Senator
Today, the process of ensuring that Massachusetts voters will get full representation in the U.S. Senate moved forward, as the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill allowing an interim appointment for the seat of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.
The bill, which would give Gov. Deval Patrick the authority to name a temporary appointee to the open seat, was passed by the State Senate, 24-16, following a 95-58 vote in favor of the bill in the State House. The bill will likely go to Patrick’s desk later this week, allowing him to name a successor to the Senate’s longtime champion of working families.
Massachusetts will hold a special election early next year to fill the remainder of Kennedy’s term, which runs through January 2013. The bill passed by the state legislature ensures that, between now and the special election, Massachusetts will have a full delegation of two senators.
